Suspension device for automobiles.



P. WILL. SUSPENSION DEVICE FOR AUTOMOBILES.

- APPL'IOATIO'H FILED JANFQ, 1911.

Patented Oct. 1, 1912.

Dill/1y}! Jam /#59267 5? ATTORNEK? J. P. WILL.

SUSPENSION DEVICE FOR AUTOMOBILES.

APPLIOATION FILED JAN. 9, 1911.

1,040,079. 1 j Patented 0013.1,1912.

2 SHEETS- SHEET 2.

WITNESSES IIVVEIVTOR A TTORNEYS sible degree of comfort even when rubber -a top plan of my suspension These wheels are connected-by means of TTED STATES PATENT OFFTQE.

0F JERSEY CITY, NEW JERSEY.-

JOSEPH PETER WILL,

' SUSPENSION DEVICE FOR ATTTOMOBILES.

i PatentedOot. 1, 1912.

Application filed January 9, 1911. Serial No. 601,632.

Specification of Letters Patent.

cally downward when the weight of the vehicle body is supported thereon.

Supported from the ends of the carriage springs (3 are two transverse dropped body hangers S, which are connectcdto the ends of the springs G by means of pivot-bolts 7. These dropped body hangers are similar in general shape to the dropped body axle 3, but are preferably made L-shape in crosssection, as shown. These dropped body hangers 8 do not hang as low as the dropped body axle 3, but along with the dropped body. axle 3 they are arranged to hang as low as possible, thus leaving only sufiicie-nt space between the body of the vehicle and the ground to give road clearance when the vehicle is in motion.

Numerals 9 indicate two rigid plates which are fastened to the dropped body hangers 8 at their centers, and are of suit-L To all whom it may concern: Be it known that I, JOSEPH PETER ELL, a citizen of the United States, and a resident ot Jersey City, in the county of Hudson and State of New Jersey, have invented a new and Improved Suspension Device for Automobiles, of which the following is a lull, clear, and exact description.

My invention consists of a suspension :lrauic for automobiles and vehicles in general. and its object is to deaden the jolting and jarring which is always encountered in passing over rough roads. To this end my sus iiension "frame is so designed that the body of the vehicle is supported on 'axles with its center of gravity in the lowest position; and it includes an arrangement of vertically and horizontally yieldable springs, by means ot which the vibrations of the vehicle in motion are reduced to a. minimum, thus permitting the occupants of the vehicle to travel with the greatest posside of these hangers. The outer ends of these plates 9 support carriage springs 10, the ends 11 of which are designed to be connected to the side of thevehicle body and support the same. Similar carriage springs are supported by the plates 9 at their opposite ends on the other side of the dropped body hangers. nected directly to the body of the vehicle, inembe s 12 of suitable size and shape being attached to the bottom of the vehicle to afford a connection for the ends 11 of the springs 10. Elliptic-a1 tires are not used.

vct'erence is to be l ad to the accompanying drawings forming a part of this specification, in which s nilar characters of reference indicate corresponding parts in all the views.

Figure l i a from view of an automobile, showing my suspension frame in place be tween the vehicle body and the front. axle thcrcoil; '3 is a vertical sectional view through my suspension frame, showing the whccl attachcd thereto and av portion of the carried by my improved suspension framebody or. chassis of the vehicle; and Fig. 3 is in such a position as to be inclosed thereby, devicef each being located between the axle 3 and one of the dropped body hangers 8, and each On the d awings. a pair of wheels on being connected on one which the vchiclebodyt is supported, for example the trout. wheels, is indicated at '1.

side by means of hinges 13' to one of the plates 9, and on its opposite side by similar hinges 13, to the dropped body axle 3.

Numerals 14 indicate longitudinal supports to which the suspension frame is connected, said supports bearing the weight of the body of the vehicle, which is shown at 15.

The vehicle I have shown is an automobile provided 'with steering wheels, lamps and other accessories, but the,wheels 1 thereof neednot be provided with rubber tires, since my inn-proved suspension frame deadensthe trunnions 2 to a dropped body axle 3. Tl'ris axle as shown on Fig. 2, may be I-shaped in cross-section in order to save niaterialand at the same time obtain thegreatest degree of strength and stiffness, Supported by this axle 3 at either end thereof and beyond the dropped bod-y portion are clamping plates t and U-shaped clamping members 5, by means of which leaf springs (3 of the type usually known as cairiage springsv are held in place. These springs are normally held parallelwith the longitudinal axis of jarring and jolting and in a large measure the vehicle, and are turned upward at the eliminates the difficulties which ordinarily ends, so that they :an be made to yield vertlrubberl t ires do not overcome. It will be cient size to extend some'distance on either These springs also are con springs 12 are also understood that I use my improved suspen sion frame as above described not 'only in connection with the front wheels of the vehicle but in connection with the rear wheels also. By means of the special arrangement of springs between the axle and the vehicle body, any jarring or joltino is deadened before the force thereof can be transmitted to the body of the vehicle, and the unpleasant effects caused by the vehicle passing over obstructions in its path are thus avoided. Any vibrations that may be caused when the vehicle is in motion have too far to travel from the axle through my improved suspension frame to the body of the vehicle to permit the occupants thereof to be disturbed.

The springs 6 being vertically yieldable, prevent the vehicle from bouncing to an und-:e extent. Should one of the wheels strike a stone the body 15, being centrally sus pended, will allow the wheel to rise and pass 'over the stone; and the body will give slightly forward owing to the horizontal position of the springs 12. As a result no vibrations will be felt in the frame or body 15. The springs 12 then rebound and return the body 15 to its proper position.

While I have shown my improved suspension frame as applied to an automobile, it is obvious that I may use it on any kind of vehicle, and by means of the special arrangement of the springs shown and described, the vertical bouncing which is always experienced on rough roads, as well as the horizontal jolts and jars to which the vehicle is subjected, are largely obvi ated.- Hence, I do not have to use pneumatic or other rubber tires, but I'may employ solid tires of any suitable material, such as leather, in their stead.

Having thus described my invention, I claim as new and desire to secure by Let ters Patent:

1. In a suspension device for vehicles, the combination of a dropped body axle, vertically .yieldable spring means at each end of said axle and supported thereby, dropped body hangers supported by said spring means on either side of said axle, spring connections su ported by said dropped body hangers and, a apted to be connected to the body of the vehicle tobe supported, and horizontall .yieldable spring means connected to t e. said. hangers on one side'and to the dropped body axle on the other to cooperate with the first-mentioned spring means.

hangers at their centers, transverse suspension spring means carried by said plates to be connected at their ends to the body of the vehicle to be supported, and horizontally yieldable elliptical spring means hinged on one side to the said plates and on the other side to the axles to coiiperate with the firstmen'tioned spring means.

3. A suspension device for vehicles, comprising a dropped body axle, leaf spring means supported by said axle at either end thereof and transversely arranged with respect thereto, dropped body hangers supported by said leaf spring means, suspension spring means carried by said dropped body hangers to be attached to the body of the vehicle to be supported, and horizontally yieldable elliptical spring means connected on one side to the said dropped body hangers and on the other side to said axle to cooperate with the first-mentioned spring means, and to permit the body to give slightly when encountering an obstruction.

4. In a suspension device for vehicles, the combination of an axle, vertically yieldablc spring means supported at each end of said axle, transverse hangers pivotally connected to the ends of said spring means, vertically yieldable spring means carried by said hangers and designed to be connected at their ends to the body of the vehicle to support'the weight of the same. and means connecting said hangers to said axle to diminish the oscillation of said hangers around the ends of said vertically yicldable spring means at the ends of the axle as an axis.

5. In a suspension device for vehicles, the combination of an axle. vertically yieldablc spring means supported at each end of said axle, vertically yieldable spring means transversely arranged with respect to said first-named spring means, means for supporting the transverse springs from the first-named spring means, said second- .named spring means being adapted to be connected to the body of the vehicle to support the same, and horizontally yieldable spring means connected to the said axle on one side and to said second-named vertically yieldable spring means on the other side.

6. In a suspension device for vehicles, the combination of an axle, vertically yieldablc spring means at each end of said axle and supported thereby, transverse hangers pivotally mounted at their opposite ends in the ends of said spring means, transverse vertically yieldable spring means supported centrally by said hangers, said spring means being connected to the body of the vehicle at their outer ends to support the same, and means for connecting the transverse spring means to the axle between the first spring means.

combination of an axle, vertically-yieldable spring means at each endof said axle and supported by supported thereby, a hanger said spring means, spring means connected to said hanger and to the body of the vehicle to support the same, and horizontally-yieldable spring means and to said axle to cooperate with the firstnamed spring means.

8. In a suspension device for vehicles, the combination of an axle, vertically-yieldable spring means at each end. of said axle and sup orted thereby, a hanger supported by sai spring means, spring connections between said hanger and the body of the vehicle to support the same, and horizontallyyieldable spring means on the other,;to cooperate with the firstnamed spring means.

connected to said hanger.

i named spring means pivotally connected to said banger on one side and to the axle 9. In=a suspension device for vehicles, the combination of an axle, vertically yieldable spring means on each end of said axle and supported thereby, vertically ieldable spring means connected to the b0 y of the vehicle, means connect-ingsaid second-named spring means to be supported by named sprin means, and resihentmeans for indepen ently connecting the" secondto the axle of the vehicle to diminish the oscillation of said second-named spring means with respect to said axle.

. In testimony whereof I ha ve signed myname to this specification in the two subscribing witnesses.

presence of "JOSEPH PETER WILL.

'Witnesses:

PHILIP HULL, ALBERT E. TERHUNE.

Copies of this patent may Washington, D. 0..

the Commissioner of Patents,

the first- 

